Medication Therapy Management = Healthier Americans (Thanks to Pharmacists!)
Posted by Emily Thompson on Sep 2nd 2020
Americans see pharmacists more often than any other healthcare professionals. According to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Pharmacy, the average American sees a doctor less than five times a year, but interacts with a pharmacist 12 to 15 times per year. The 2007 Wilson Rx Pharmacy Customer Satisfaction Survey puts the number even higher, reporting that the average customer visits a pharmacy 2-3 times per month, nearly 12 times the number of average visits to a primary care physician.
This accessibility helps pharmacists play an important role in patients’ healthcare. Medication Therapy Management (MTM) solidifies that role by providing a framework that structures the consultation process, connects pharmacists to the rest of a healthcare team, compensates pharmacists for their expertise and time, and recognizes the importance of medication consulting and review. In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services anticipate that MTM will “evolve and become a cornerstone of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit.”
The ABC’s of MTM
In years past, the term “Medication Therapy Management” has covered a range of services provided by pharmacists, but in 2004 the pharmacy profession decided to concretely define MTM as “a service or group of services that optimize therapeutic outcomes for individual patients.” In a nutshell, pharmacists provide counseling and written reviews to help patients get the best benefits from their medications. The American Pharmacists Association and National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation list the Core Elements of a Medication Therapy Management Service Model as:
- Medication therapy review: A process of collecting information, assessing medication therapies, identifying medication-related problems, and developing a prioritized plan to resolve them.
- Personal medication record: A record of the patient’s medications, including prescription and nonprescription medications and supplements.
- Medication-related action plan: A list of prioritized actions for the patient.
- Intervention and/or referral: Consultations that address medication-related problems and a referral to a physician or other health care professional; when necessary.
- Documentation and follow-up
Medication Therapy Management has been used by the private sector and Medicaid for years, and in 2006 the federal government began requiring Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to offer it as well. In fact, Medication Therapy Management was listed for the first time in 2012 in the Center for Medicare’s official guide, Medicare & You.
The Affordable Care Act should have a positive impact on pharmacist-provided care, too. The law improved MTM services provided under Medicare Part D, and established the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, which examines and encourages development of service delivery models, including MTM.
Better Patient Outcomes, Reduced Healthcare Costs
The federal government adopted the program for a good reason: it works.
- In Minnesota, a Medicaid-based MTM service helped 36 percent of recipients with diabetes achieve optimal care standards, as opposed to the statewide average of 6 percent. The service also provided a return on investment of $1.29 per $1.00 in administrative costs.
- An MTM project in Asheville, South Carolina improved the clinical outcomes of diabetes patients, reduced overall health care costs, increased employee productivity, and resulted in fewer employee sick days.
- A recent report to the U.S. Surgeon General demonstrated how MTM can help improve patient outcomes and reduce demands on the health care system, including hospital admissions, unnecessary or inappropriate medications, emergency room admissions, and overall physician visits.
Despite the success of Medication Therapy Management programs, many people are still not aware of its benefits, or of the fact that they may qualify for free MTM under Medicare if they have more than one chronic health condition, take several different medications, or have a combined medications cost of more than $3,017 per year (Medicare.gov/find-a-plan has more information about requirements for qualification).
A free-to-patients program that reduces overall healthcare costs, enhances communication between healthcare providers, and improves patients’ health— Medication Therapy Management is all that and more. It’s better healthcare that’s as accessible as a visit to the neighborhood pharmacy.